Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Renewable Energy

Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had (1) internally, and (2) with industry, in the past 12 months on increasing (a) the production of wave and tidal energy, and (b) innovative funding mechanisms to increase such production; and further to the Written Answer byLord Callanan on 31 October (HL2667), what plans they have to put a copy of the analysis on the cost-effectiveness of marine energy in the Library of the House.

Lord Callanan: Last year the Government consulted on the draft energy National Policy Statements which include provisions for tidal energy. A response will be published in due course. The Government is also exploring options for increasing the production of tidal energy including innovative funding mechanisms. The report on the role and value of Tidal Stream Generation in the Future UK Energy System is attached and is publicly available on the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult website.Tidal stream cost reduction report (pdf, 1357.4KB)

Fuel Oil: Prices

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking tohelp those who rely on oil or liquefied petroleum gas to heat their homes; and what plans they have, if any, to extend the energy price cap to oil and liquefied petroleum gas.

Lord Callanan: Households reliant on oil or Liquefied Petroleum Gas to heat their homes will receive the Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP). The AFP will ensure that households which do not benefit from the Energy Price Guarantee, receive support for the cost of the fuel they use. Households eligible for these payments in Great Britain will receive £100 as a credit on their electricity bill this winter. Households who are eligible but do not have a relationship with an electricity supplier will receive the £100 via the AFP Alternative Fund. The Government has no plans for a price cap on alternative fuels.

Agriculture: Energy Bill Relief Scheme

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Benyon on 31 October (HL2654), what specific provisions the Energy Bill Relief Scheme contains to support farming businesses; and what estimate they have made of the impact of that scheme on farming businesses.

Lord Callanan: The Energy Bill Relief Scheme is available to all eligible non-domestic energy customers, including businesses, charities and the public sector and will provide a discount on the wholesale costs of gas and electricity. This includes farming businesses on eligible non-domestic energy supply contracts.

Telecommunications Cables: Seas and Oceans

Lord Goddard of Stockport: To ask His Majesty's Government how many incidences of subsea cables being damaged there have been within the UK's Exclusive Economic Zone in the last 10 years; and how many were attributable to (1) UK fishing trawlers, and (2) non-UK actors.

Lord Callanan: Information on the number of cable damages is not held. Subsea cable operators have arrangements in place to ensure a prompt response to damage or disruption, drawing upon national and international cable laying and repair companies.

Housing: Energy

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their policy on (1) identifying, and (2) retrofitting, the most energy inefficient homes with insulation and other energy saving adaptions.

Lord Callanan: The Heat and Buildings strategy, published in 2021, confirmed the need to upgrade the worst performing homes first. The Government is providing £3.2 billion in targeted support for social housing residents, low income and fuel poor household through the Local Authority Delivery scheme, the Home Upgrade Grant, and the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. The Energy Company Obligation has been extended from 2022 to 2026, boosting its value from £640 million to £1 billion a year The Government has also launched a digitally led service ‘find energy improvements suitable for your home’ on GOV.UK to provide impartial and tailored advice helping people make their homes greener and cheaper to run.

Business: Regulation

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 1 November (HL2670), which Ministers ended the one-in-three out policy; and on what basis that decision was taken.

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Callanan on 1 November (HL2670), what was the duration of the one-in-three out policy; and during that time, how many regulations were (1) abolished, and (2) brought in to force.

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Callanan on 1 November (HL2670), in each of the successive years since the ending of the one-in-three out policy, how many regulations were (1) abolished, and (2) brought in by force.

Lord Callanan: The one-in-three out policy came into force in March 2016 and was abolished in June 2017. We do not have a record of regulations which were abolished or brought into force under the one-in-three out policy during this period. Individual departments are responsible for maintaining a record of their regulatory measures. The one-in-three out policy was abolished by the then Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for Tunbridge Wells. We are unable to give a breakdown of the number of regulations which have been abolished or brought into force in the subsequent years since the one-in-three out policy was abolished. The "Statement of new regulation" which provided this information for previous policies was not produced for one-in-three out. However, the annual Business Impact Target (BIT) report does cover regulations that came into force, with a total of 691 introduced in the successive years since the ending of the one-in-three out policy.

Department of Health and Social Care

Nurses: Training

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to expand existing routes into nursing; and if so, in what ways.

Lord Markham: The Government offers a range of routes into nursing, from undergraduate and postgraduate degree routes to apprenticeship routes. As of 2021, we also offer a blended learning programme offering predominantly online, remote-access study. The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service’s data shows over 30,000 students accepted places to study nursing and midwifery undergraduate courses in England in the 2021 recruitment cycle. This is a 28% increase compared to the 2019 cycle. We are also continuing to expand the registered nursing degree apprenticeship (RNDA), nursing associate (NA) apprenticeship and blended learning routes. At the end of the 2020/21 academic year, there were approximately 2,200 people commencing a RNDA compared to 304 at the start of the programme in 2017/18. There were 4,304 NA apprenticeship starters compared to 1,417 in 2017/18. Health Education England anticipate that approximately 8,500 nurses will start training using blended learning programmes over the next five years.

Gambling: Greater London and North of England

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government how manypatients have been treated in the NHS gambling clinics in (1)London,(2)Leeds,(3) Manchester, and (4) Sunderland, in the past year.

Lord Markham: This information is not currently collected in the format requested.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Africa: Climate Change

Lord Boateng: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they propose to address the issue of climate adaptation for African agriculture at COP27, in order to further the Global Action Agenda on Transforming Agricultural Innovation launched in November 2021.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK made climate change adaptation a priority of our COP Presidency. Africa is in the frontline of climate change, facing drought and extreme weather patterns, despite only contributing a mere 3 per cent of global emissions. The Global Action Agenda on Transformation in Agriculture launched at COP26 has informed the development of the Agriculture Breakthrough goal and a set of actions for endorsing countries set out in The Breakthrough Agenda Report 2022. A set of priority actions will be launched on Agriculture and Adaptation day at COP27. The Agriculture Breakthrough will advance climate adaptation and mitigation globally, including for Africa.

Africa: Food Supply

Lord Boateng: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the impact of acute food insecurity in Africa; and what steps they are taking to address it.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: UN Humanitarian assessments indicate that over 140 million people are critically food insecure due to conflict, climate disasters and the Covid pandemic, made worse by the war in Ukraine.The UK is a major humanitarian donor and we are pressing for an urgent collective response to current levels of acute food insecurity. This financial year we intend to provide approximately £156 million to address humanitarian requirements across East Africa. FCDO Ministers are also calling on multilateral institutions to do more. We continue to support the G7 Global Alliance on Food Security and the UN Global Crisis Response Group.

Sub-Saharan Africa: Climate Change

Lord Boateng: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will address the impact of climate change on farmers in sub-Saharan African through the allocation of resources in their development programmes; and if so, how.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is addressing the impact of climate change on farmers in sub-Saharan Africa through a broad range of programmes. For example, the FCDO-funded African Food Trade and Resilience aims to facilitate food trade between surplus and deficit areas by supporting companies to develop farmer-support models that promote climate-friendly practices.More broadly, the FCDO is supporting farmers to cope with climate change through our international climate finance, and in delivery of the UK's International Development Strategy commitment to prevent and anticipate shocks and build resilience in long running crises by tackling the underlying drivers of crises, instability, and food insecurity.

Ministry of Defence

Detention Centres: Manston

Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government what was the cost of the Home Secretary's use of a helicopter on her visit to Manston Immigration Centre on 3 November.

Baroness Goldie: The Chinook flight for the Home Secretary was incorporated into a routine training sortie, for the operational crew of four personnel, based at RAF Odiham.The duration of the training sortie was three and a half hours, including the 30-minute leg to Manston, during which the Home Secretary was embarked. It is not possible to separate the costs of these legs from the wider training sortie.The Chinook was not diverted away from other defence tasks.

Type 26 Frigates

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government when HMS Glasgow will become operational in the Royal Navy; and when the remaining seven Type 26 frigates will enter service.

Baroness Goldie: I refer the noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 2 November 2022 entitled ‘Type 26 Batch 1 Update’. The Initial Operating Capability for the Type 26 Class is forecast to be October 2028. All ships are expected to enter service between 2028 and 2035.Type 26 Batch 1 Update (docx, 17.8KB)

Armed Forces: Housing

Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask His Majesty's Government whatis the scale of military accommodation held in reserve for possible reservists or a requirement for mobilisation; and what assessment they have made as to whether a part of this accommodation could be used to house migrants and asylum seekers on a temporary basis.

Baroness Goldie: The Ministry of Defence does not routinely hold accommodation vacant to utilise in the mobilisation of reserves. Under HMT guidelines the Ministry of Defence is obligated to dispose of surplus estates, an obligation we are fulfilling through the Defence Estates Optimisation portfolio and other estate rationalisation programmes.

Department for Work and Pensions

Christmas Bonus: Social Security Benefits

Baroness Buscombe: To ask His Majesty's Government whether an annual Christmas bonus for benefit claimants will be paid this year; if so, how many claimants will receive that bonus; and what the total cost will be, including administrative costs, to public funds.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Christmas Bonus will be paid this year. The Christmas Bonus is an annual, tax-free, lump sum payment to pensioners and to working aged people who, during the relevant week (which is usually the first full week in December) are entitled to payment of certain qualifying benefits and who are resident in the UK, an EEA state or Switzerland. The qualifying benefits are: State Pension; Pension Credit; Widowed Mother's/Parent's Allowance; Widows' Pension; Industrial Death Benefit by way of Widow's or Widower's Pension; War Widow's Pensions; Long-Term Incapacity Benefit; Personal Independence Payment; Adult Disability Payment; Child Disability Payment; Transitionally-Protected Severe Disablement Allowance; Attendance Allowance; Disability Living Allowance; Unemployability Supplement or Constant Attendance Allowance paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes; Carer's Allowance; Mobility Supplement; War Disablement Pension (if over age 65); Armed Forces Independence payment; and contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim) In most cases the bonus is paid automatically with whichever qualifying benefit an individual receives, which ensures administration costs are kept to a minimum. The number of benefit claimants expected to receive the annual Christmas bonus, based on 2022/23 forecasts are 16,443,000. The total cost in real terms, based on 2022/23 forecasts is £164 million. Source: Benefit expenditure and caseload tables 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Marine Environment: Conservation

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to implement the recommendation of the Climate Change Committee to encourage "efforts to monitor, understand and analyse changes in the extent, condition and functioning of marine and coastal ecosystems", as set out in their reportBriefing: Blue Carbon, published in March.

Lord Benyon: The United Kingdom established a new cross-Administration UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership (UKBCEP), to progress the evidence base on blue carbon habitats in UK waters and advance our commitment to protecting and restoring blue carbon habitats as a nature-based solution. Through the UKBCEP, UK Administrations are working together with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Defra to address key research questions related to blue carbon policy.In April 2022, the UK Government launched its £140 million Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment programme, a flagship three-year R&D programme, spanning England's land, coast and sea. The programme includes mapping of blue carbon stock and sequestration rates and measuring the effects of physical damage and disturbance to the seabed (such as from bottom trawling) on blue carbon storage. This work will be used to inform marine planning and development decisions. In the programme's proof-of-concept year, the Environment Agency mapped areas within saltmarshes with different capacities to capture and store carbon, bringing the national saltmarsh zonation map up to 96.5% coverage of England's total saltmarsh habitat. The programme's work is now expanding to incorporate seagrass meadows and other coastal habitats to increase our understanding of their carbon storage and sequestration rates.We are also improving understanding of the impact of climate change on marine and coastal ecosystems. The Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP) synthesises the latest research and evidence on climate change impacts and predicted trends affecting those ecosystems. Established in 2005, MCCIP engages with a wide range of scientific authors and reviewers to produce updates on the evidence base. Going forward, topic updates will be provided on a rolling basis, supplying policy makers and the public with updates on the current and predicted impacts of climate change as they happen, to inform dynamic UK policy approaches to adaptation.

Environment Protection: British Overseas Territories

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Darwin Plus Local fund to build local environmental conservation capacity in UK Overseas Territories will be launched by the end of the year; and whether the Darwin Plus Strategic fund to allow Overseas Territories to collaborate on larger environmental projects will open in 2023.

Lord Benyon: HM Government is committed to expanding the Darwin Plus programme. Darwin Plus Local is planned to open for applications in January 2023, ready to fund projects from April 2023. More information about the development of Darwin Plus Strategic will be published in 2023.

Chemicals

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the UK Chemicals Strategy.

Lord Benyon: We have been engaging closely with external partners over the past few months to inform policy development across a range of chemicals issues. This builds on the commitment in the 25 Year Environment Plan to set out our strategy to tackling chemicals of concern. No publication date for a Chemicals Strategy has yet been set.

Bees

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their latest assessment of the health of the bee population in England.

Lord Benyon: The bee population is comprised of honey bee colonies managed by beekeepers and bee farmers, and wild bees, of which there are more than 250 species in the UK. Defra supports the honey bee population through the work of the National Bee Unit inspectorate, which operates our bee pest surveillance programmes and provides free training and advice to beekeepers, including on pest and disease recognition. Levels of American foulbrood (AFB) and European foulbrood (EFB), serious diseases of honey bees, have remained relatively low in recent years. In 2021, around 35,000 colonies across 5,500 apiaries were inspected in England and Wales. In England, AFB was found to be present in 0.13% of colonies inspected in 2021, and EFB in 2.73% of colonies. Our contingency planning and response work has proved effective in dealing with incursions of the invasive species Asian hornet, which poses a serious threat to honey bees and other pollinating insects. We have robust import controls and an extensive surveillance programme in place for other invasive pests such as Small hive beetle which, to date, has not been detected in the UK. Our annual Hive Count exercise indicates that numbers of managed honey bees have increased in recent years, from around 252,000 UK colonies in 2017 to 272,000 in 2021. To a large extent, numbers of honey bees are dependent on the number of people willing to keep bees. Defra's indicator recording the distribution of wild pollinating insects in England between 1980 and 2017 shows long term decline for the majority of the 377 assessed species of hoverflies and bees. In the short term, however, around 40% of these species have become less widespread, and around 40% have become more widespread. A greater number of recorded bee species are becoming more widespread in England than are becoming less widespread. The reverse is true for hoverflies. We cannot provide information on which species are declining and which are increasing. We are keeping these trends under review. Pollinators are a priority for HM Government, and we are taking action alongside many partners to implement the National Pollinator Strategy’s provisions including publication of the National Pollinator Strategy Action Plan in May 2022. Our Healthy Bees Plan 2030 sets out how we will protect and improve the health of honey bees in England.

Lighting: Nuisance

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofthe environmental impact, particularly on insects, of home lighting systems, including the recent spread of solar powered gardening lighting systems that may operate automatically; and what consideration they have given to placing restrictions on such lighting, including where it may also prove a nuisance to neighbours.

Lord Benyon: Defra has not made any assessment specifically on the environmental impact of home lighting or solar powered garden lighting systems. However, the department has published and contributed to national and global assessments of the impact of artificial light and other pressures on insects and wider biodiversity, and we are aware of further studies that have identified impacts of artificial light on the behaviour and physiology of some insect species. We continue to work with partners including leading scientists to review the latest studies related to light pollution and ensure we continue to address key threats to biodiversity.

Coastal Areas: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will include "a roadmap to inclusion of saltmarsh and seagrass" in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory, as recommended by the Climate Change Committee in their reportBriefing: Blue Carbon, published in March.

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask His Majesty's Government when theywill publish the findings of the UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership.

Lord Benyon: In the United Kingdom, there are currently significant evidence gaps that prevent the accurate reporting and therefore inclusion of emissions from coastal wetland habitats into the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory. However, through the UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership, UK Administrations are working with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Defra to address key research questions relating to blue carbon. One of the first aims of the Partnership has been to identify and then clearly set out the most pressing research questions relating to blue carbon in an Evidence Needs Statement. The Statement is likely to include identification of evidence gaps which are a barrier to the inclusion of coastal wetlands into the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory as set out in a recently published report commissioned by BEIS; "Towards the inclusion of coastal wetlands in the UK LULUCF inventory" (a copy is attached to this answer).The UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership plans to publish the Evidence Needs Statement in spring 2023.LULUCF Inventory (pdf, 3099.4KB)

Grafton Equine and Pet Cremation: Badgers

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Benyon on 13 October (HL2581), when the Animal and Plant Health Agency plans to conduct an inspection of Grafton Pet Cemetery and its handling of dead badgers; when the last such inspection was conducted; how regularly such inspections are conducted; and what length of notice is usually provided before each inspection.

Lord Benyon: Grafton Pet Crematorium was last inspected in August 2022 with no issues found. The premises are on annual risk-based inspection regime so the next routine inspection will be due to take place in August 2023. The length of notice provided before an inspection varies and is determined on a case-by-case basis at the local level depending on staff and operator availability. APHA also has the provision, if required, to make unannounced visits.

Home Office

Detention Centres: Manston

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask His Majesty's Government why asylum seekers from Manston immigration centre were left in Central London on 1 November without overnight accommodation.

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask His Majesty's Government on how many occasions asylum seekers from Manston Immigration Centre have been left in Central London without accommodation; and what were the circumstances in each case.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The welfare of those in our care is of the utmost importance and people are only released from Manston when we have assurances that they have accommodation to go to.We worked at pace to find accommodation for the individuals as soon as we were notified, and they are now in accommodation and being supported.

Police: Vetting

Lord Hamilton of Epsom: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services An inspection of vetting, misconduct, and misogyny in the police service, published on 2 November, which found that some police officers suspected of links to organised crime, or found guilty of sexual crimes, were transferred to other police forces without vetting; whether the Police Federation was involved in the transfer of these officers; if so, on how many occasions; and whether the Federation were aware of the issues that these officers may have faced if a vetting process had been carried out.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The report from the Inspectorate has raised some serious questions for policing about vetting and culture. We expect policing to address its forty recommendations in full, including those relating to transferees.The Home Office has no involvement in individual vetting decisions – this is an operational matter for forces – and does not collect this data.The College of Policing, who set and maintain training standards for policing, published the Code of Ethics in 2014 which sets out clear standards of professional behaviour. The College of Policing’s foundation training for all those entering the service includes substantial coverage the Code of Ethics. In addition, we have funded the College to develop a National Police Leadership Centre to create a strong professional framework and standards across policing at all levels.

Mike Veale

Lord Lexden: To ask His Majesty's Government whether there are any legal mechanisms to compel the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland to begin the gross misconduct hearing against Mike Veale, former Chief Constable for Cleveland which, when it was announced on 2 August 2021, was described as beginning “shortly”.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Government takes the accountability of the police very seriously and has delivered a number of reforms to strengthen the police disciplinary system. This included additional independence through the introduction of independent Legally Qualified Chairs (LQCs) in 2016. The Government has also recently announced an internal review in the process of police officer dismissals, which it expects to look at the existing model and composition of panels, including the impact of the role of LQCs.But whilst arrangements concerning the establishment of a misconduct hearing are a matter for Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), the management of the hearing itself is the responsibility of the independent LQCs. LQCs must commence a hearing within 100 days of an officer being provided a notice referring them to proceedings, but may extend this period where an LQC considers it is in the interests of justice to do so. Decisions made within a hearing are done so independently of PCCs as well as Government.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Council Tax: Cost of Living

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to change the single person's council tax discount to assist with the increased cost of living.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Government has no plans to change the single person's council tax discount. The Government is providing a significant package of support to help households with the rising cost of living. Further information on this package of support can be found here.Energy Bills - Help for households (pdf, 129.1KB)

Treasury

Income Tax

Lord Moylan: To ask His Majesty's Government how manyUK tax payers who were entitled to a Personal Allowance (even if abated by withdrawal) submitted an Income Tax Return in the last full fiscal year which declared a taxable income between £100,000 and £125,140.

Baroness Penn: The Government does not publish this information. The total number of income taxpayers for those earning above £100,000 is published online in Table 2.5 of HMRC’s income tax liabilities statistics. For the 2022-23 tax year, this is estimated at 1,580,000. These statistics are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI) consistent with OBR forecasts within the 2022 Spring forecast. This table does not include a breakdown of the number of taxpayers with income between £100,000 and £125,140.

Debts: Money Lenders

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the number of UK citizens who are indebted to loan sharks, and (2) the total value of loans that are currently outstanding; and what steps they plan to take as a result.

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons behind UK citizens borrowing from loan sharks; and what steps they will take to reduce the number of UK citizens borrowing from loan sharks.

Baroness Penn: HM Treasury regularly monitors developments in the consumer credit market, including those regarding illegal money lending, as part of its normal process of policy development. However, it does not conduct its own research as to the scale of illegal money lending in England. Instead, HMT draws on the research of various stakeholders, including the Illegal Money Lending Teams (IMLTs), consumer groups and thinktanks, to inform policy development. HM Treasury recognises the risks posed by illegal lenders and the harmful impacts they cause to their victims and communities That is why, in financial year 2022/23, the Government will provide over £6.7 million of funding to IMLTs across the UK, an increase of over 5% compared to 2021/22. This funding enables IMLTs to investigate and prosecute loan sharks and use their legal powers to tackle the wider criminality they inflict on communities, such as violence and blackmail. Consumers use illegal lenders for a variety of reasons. However, the Government is overseeing many innovative affordable credit initiatives which will expand the provision of affordable credit to those who may otherwise use an illegal lender. This includes by: legislating to allow credit unions to offer a wider range of products and services;providing Fair4All Finance with £3.8m of funding to pilot a No-interest Loans Scheme (NILS), designed for consumers in vulnerable circumstances who would benefit from affordable rather than high-cost credit to meet unexpected costs; and,releasing £100 million of dormant assets funding to Fair4All Finance to support their work on financial inclusion. This includes exploring different methods of advertising affordable credit products and ensuring vulnerable consumers are aware of all options available to them.

Corporation Tax

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what forecast they have made of the impact of stabilising corporation tax levels on the UK’s economic forecast.

Baroness Penn: The economic and fiscal impact of changes in Corporation Tax policy are factored into the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecasts. Further detail is available in the OBR’s Economic and Fiscal Outlook which is published at fiscal events.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Pornography: Internet

Baroness Benjamin: To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to amending any aspects of theGuidance from the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to the Age-Verification Regulator for Online Pornography, published in January 2018 and presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 27 of the Digital Economy Act 2017, before commencement of provisions in Part 3 of that Act; and if so, which aspects they will amend.

Baroness Benjamin: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are under a statutory obligation to update theGuidance from the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to the Age-Verification Regulator for Online Pornography, published in January 2018 and presented to Parliament pursuant to section 27 of the Digital Economy Act 2017; and if so, how often they are obliged to update it.

Baroness Benjamin: To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to amending any aspects of the Guidance on Age-Verification Arrangements, approved by the House of Lords on 11 December 2018 (HL Deb col 1307), before commencement of the provisions in Part 3 of the Digital Economy Act 2017 in the event that the British Board of Film Classification is re-designated as the regulator.

Baroness Benjamin: To ask His Majesty's Government whetherthey are under a statutory obligation to update theGuidance on Age-Verification Arrangementsapproved by the House of Lords on 11 December 2018 (HL Deb col 1307); and if so, how often they are obliged to update it.

Baroness Benjamin: To ask His Majesty's Government whether there is any existing statutory barrier to staff seconded from Ofcom to the British Board of Film Classification to work on the implementation of the provisions of Part 3 of the Digital Economy Act 2017 if they are commenced.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: In October 2019, His Majesty’s Government announced its decision to use the Online Safety Bill to protect children from pornography. The provisions in this Bill will provide greater protection to children than Part 3 of the Digital Economy Act. It will cover a wider range of services, including social media companies and search services, which were not in scope of the Digital Economy Act, and which play a significant role in enabling children to access harmful content online.There is no statutory obligation to update the guidance mentioned in section 27 of the Digital Economy Act. As HM Government intends to repeal Part 3 of that Act through the Online Safety Bill, amending this guidance would not serve any purpose as it will not be used. Instead, Ofcom, as the independent regulator for the online safety regime, will set out the steps companies can take to protect children from harmful content such as pornography in codes of practice. Ofcom will also publish guidance for companies to meet the duty to protect children from published pornography in Part 5 of the Bill. The Secretary of State will also have a general power to issue guidance to Ofcom about the exercise of its functions under the Bill.Ofcom will have a range of powers to assess whether companies are fulfilling their duties, and will be empowered to enforce the new regulatory regime. The British Board of Film Classification’s designation as the age verification regulator under the Digital Economy Act was revoked following the October 2019 announcement.

BBC Radio: Local Broadcasting

Lord Rogan: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had withthe BBC about cuts to local radio services; and whether they have had any indication that (1) BBC Radio Ulster, or (2) BBC Radio Foyle, will be affected by such cuts.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: His Majesty’s Government is disappointed by the extent of the BBC’s proposed changes to local radio services. We will be raising this issue with the BBC and wait to hear more from the BBC on how it expects these changes to affect local communities, including the provision of local news and media plurality.The BBC’s recent announcement will only affect the BBC’s local radio services in England. There should be no impact on BBC Radio Ulster or BBC Radio Foyle.

Data Protection: Public Consultation

Baroness Hamwee: To ask His Majesty's Government whether there will be a further public consultation regarding proposed new data protection legislation; whether Parliament has been previously informed about such a consultation; and when the consultation is to take place.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The second reading of the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill was postponed to allow new ministers to consider the legislation. We will continue to engage with businesses and civil society organisations to ensure the regime works for all, but this will not take the form of another formal public consultation and will not affect the timeline of the Bill.